I Had A Dream #SCPL

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note in so far as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.

- A Part Of MLK’s Speech On August 28th, 1963

☆

☆

☆

☆

☆

There used to be a day when race stood in the way of athletes playing a game they were great at.

Athletes breaking down racial barriers were a huge part of the Civil Rights movement, but even after that there was still great discrimination in American sports until recent decades.

America has come a long way since Martin Luther King Jr. led the fight for equal rights for Americans of all races, let’s take a look at some African-American athletes who broke down the racial barrier in America.

Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson is easily the most famous athlete of all those who broke color barriers.

Black men had actually played professional baseball in the 1880s, but Robinson was the first to play in the MLB in the modern era.

He debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 and was considered by many to be the perfect candidate to be the first black player. Robinson had unquestionable talent and character, and it was hard to find a flaw with him.

He was chosen to six consecutive all-star games, contributed to six World Series teams, won Rookie of the Year and was named as the National League’s most valuable player in 1949.

By 1962 he was in the Hall of Fame and in 1997 his number was retired across all of baseball.

Marshall Taylor:

Taylor’s is a name you may have never heard of before, but you probably should have.

He is the first African-American to ever win a world championship.

Taylor won the one-mile track cycling championship in 1899. Taylor’s feat was made even more impressive by the fact that he was often banned from racing due to his race. The more successful he became, the more hated he became.

Joe Gans:

Joe Gans was the first African-American to win a boxing title when he won the lightweight title.

Jack Johnson quickly followed him as a champion when he became the first African-American to win the heavyweight title.

Their accomplishments were even more impressive as they came in the 1900s when blacks still had few rights. Their successes did not meet well with the American public, and one of Johnson’s victories even sparked a race riot.

Another name that could be mentioned with boxing is Joe Louis. Louis is considered one of America’s first nationwide African-American heroes and one of the best heavyweights of all-time.

William O’Ree

William O’Ree was the first black player to play in the NHL.

In his first stint he only played in two games. In his second stint, three years later in 1961 he played in 43 games and scored four goals and ten assists.

Amazingly O’Ree was 95% percent blind in one eye as well, a secret he kept from the Boston Bruins.

After O’Ree there wasn’t another black player in the NHL until 1974.

Woody Strode

You may recognize Woody Strode’s face.

Strode was famous for being an African-American pioneer in American film, but he also helped break the color barrier in the NFL.

From 1920-26 there had actually been several black players in the NFL. However, from 1926 to 1946 there were none.

Along with the man on the next slide, Strode was one of the first African-Americans back in the NFL in 1946.

Incredibly three men on this list played for the same UCLA Bruins football team, where they were among the first blacks to be prominent athletes at a Division I school.